Export Action Plan Case Study: Prison Voicemail

Business: Prison Voicemail, Norfolk. Voicemail service for prisoners and their families.

Prison Voicemail is a social venture with a mission to use technology to improve communication channels between prisoners and the outside world. Our technology enables prisoners to exchange voicemails with pre-approved individuals outside of prison. Our service is not only the most efficient way to send messages to prisoners, but by facilitating stronger relationships with families, it is expected to lead to a reduction in reoffending rates and improved prisoner welfare.

Presenting

Kieran Harrington-Ball and Alex Redstone, co-founders.

Kieran Harrington-Ball and Alex Redstone, co-founders.

When and why did the business decide to export?

We’re a new company and export has been on the agenda since day one. We meet a universal demand and we think that prison authorities in developed, progressive nations will be as receptive as they have been in the UK, where seven prisons have already implemented our service.

What is the company’s export vision?

We are serious about the social impact we can bring about and want to capitalise on the service’s huge potential quickly. Nobody in the world is delivering a service like ours and it has the potential to benefit thousands of families; we want to provide it everywhere we can and establish ourselves as the pre-eminent brand before any competitor.

How did you find out about Open to Export?

Strong recommendations by our UKTI representative and the East Anglian business networking landscape.

How useful – and in what way – did you find the Export Action Plan?

It was essential for us, as a young business, in clarifying and focusing our thoughts at a time of great excitement, when we were almost overwhelmed by ideas and creative energy. There was a danger that much of this would be wasted and misdirected, but the Export Action Plam gave us focus. It encouraged and enabled us to channel our thoughts and was also a great chance to talk to people with real export experience. All for free, too!

How has/will the plan help accelerate your export goals?

As a general business benefit, it encouraged us to adopt the discipline of putting specific deadlines to specific goals. A tactic it suggested, which was of specific relevance for our business offer was enlisting the support of our local MP.